1956 Topps #146 Washington Nationals Team
1956 Topps #146 Washington Nationals Team
About Washington Nationals Team
Card #146 is the team card for Washington's American League club, printed as the "Nationals" — the franchise's official name from 1905 through 1955, just as it was reverting to "Senators" for 1956, which is why fans and cards used the two names interchangeably (the "Nats" nickname endured). This card documents the 1955 club, which went 53-101 to finish eighth and last in the AL, 43 games back, in Chuck Dressen's first season managing at Griffith Stadium. That losing team still had real talent: slugger Roy Sievers hit 25 home runs with 106 RBI, veteran first baseman Mickey Vernon batted .301, and Bob Porterfield and Mickey McDermott each won 10 games. The franchise had a proud past — its lone World Series title came in 1924, with additional AL pennants in 1925 and 1933, and Hall of Famers Walter Johnson, Goose Goslin, and Sam Rice in its history — but by the 1950s it was a perennial second-division club, inspiring the famous line, "Washington: first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League." The team left the capital after the 1960 season to become the Minnesota Twins. As a Series 2 card, #146 exists with both white and gray back stock, the white being the scarcer of the two.
Sources: Wikipedia
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 957 | 0 | 13 | 177 | 224 | 231 | 152 | 158 | 2 |
| SGC | 93 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 848 · White Back 109
SGC by variation: Gray Back 76 · White Back 17
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Washington Nationals Team card?
It is card #146 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the Washington Nationals player.
Does the 1956 Topps Washington Nationals Team have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Washington Nationals Team valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.